Grain-hopper.



lJ. W. STEINMEYER.

GRAIN HOPPER.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO. 17. 1912.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@mg/sr ATmNEY J. W. STBINMEYER.

GRAIN HOPPER.

A4PPLIGAT10NILBD DEG. 17, 1912.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET z.

WITN H8525 J, W. STEINMBYBR.

GRAN HOPPER.

ADPLIGATION FILED 1320.17, 1912.

W ITN ESSES unitrust)` STATES' PATENT owner-3.v

JOHN W. STEINMEYER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORLT'O AMERICAN GAR, Ai) FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GRAIN -HOPPER Specification of Letters Patent. p.

IatentedSept. 1, 1914.

pollution inea December 17,191'2'. serial No. 737,236.

To all @from it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VV. STEIN- MEYER, residing at St. Louis, Missoum, and

being a citizen ofthe United States, haveuivcnted certain new and useful-Improvements in Grain-Hoppers, of -which ,the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to. make and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferrcd form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exaet'fletails of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof will occur to Vpersons skilled in the art.

In said drawings: Figure l is a horizontal sectional view taken through lone side o f. al car adjacent the door and just above the plane of the floor at the side door, and

hshowing in plan one-half of the door in horif zontal position as part. of the flooring and the other half in vertical-door-closing position so as to disclose the inside of the hopper. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation sis of the device disclosed in Fig. 1, parts brle'n awayto show internal construction of .the hopper on the far side of the center sill's. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view takenl through the hopper and floor withl the hopper door shown in solid linejs in locked position and in dotted lines in unlocked positiomand taken on api-ane indicated b Y the line '3-3 of Fig. 2, looking iii the irection 'of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a transverse'vertical sectional view taken at one end of the hopper and showing; a portion 'of thev same in side elevation and the hopper vdoor in open position, and taken on-the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of thev arrow. Fi`g5 is, a fra mentary elevation, showing the upper left land portion of the side grain door illustrated at the left in Fig. 2, an adjacent portion of the side IS a'horizontal sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 5, and taken on a plane indicated by the line 6-.6.of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through one of the intermediate stringers, and taken on the plane indicated by the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

My invention relates in general to the hopper bottom of a grain car, and specifically relates tofa combined grain door a nd hopper cover, and also relates to a means t'or closlngand locking the hopper door.

It is an object of'my invention to provide a slde door for a grain car, which door may be lowered into horizontal position to cover one of two transversely disposed 'hopper-s vwhen 1t is desired to use the car as a box car. v I

Another object 'of my invention is to arovide a novel 'construction of hopper which is securely braced in position on the underfraine, andin which the underframe is conjstructed' to attain the 'maximum bracing effect-in a car' of this construction with the least. amount of'struetural parts or elements. It is a further object of my invention to provide a hopper, the dropdoor of which is held in locked position by the weight of the ,door and a distributed lading, but which may be released and swung to open position by`a concentration of -the weight of the lading. l

I attain the above outlined objects, lbroadly, by positioning transversely of and in juxtaposition to the side/ doors of the car n pair of hoppers, which hoppers are pretcrably constructed of a single sheet of metal. bent into hopper shape and securely braced to the underframe elements.' Adapted to extend transversely of and supported by the side and centersills is a pair of grain supporting doors, wl1ich when used to support grain are placed in horizontal position but which may be swung into vertical position to partially close the side doors, thereby uncovering the hoppers. The lower edge of the hopper opening has an upturned flange adapted to support the lower side of a. hinged dropdoor, which door is adapted to be lifted bodily by-a toggle linkto clear the flange so that the lading and weight of the position.

My invention relates to other elements and combinationof elements and parts arranged to attain a well braced and readily constructed combined gra-in and box car, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

While I have shown as a vehiclel for my invention a' conventional form of car, it

door will act toswing the same into open' is, of course, to be understood that the invention is not specifically limited tofthis form of car but may be adapted to other forms with obvious mechanical modifications and ada tations, and in the illustration lbut one opper and its adjacent elements will be described in detail, it being understood that the. similar elements are disposed in the corresponding position on the opposite side of the center sill.

.Described morein detail I haveshown one'bfa pair of channel-shaped center sills A, Which' lpairis connected by a center sill cover plate B, and spaced from which center sill is a' conventional form of flanged or `channel shaped sidesill C. Itwill be noted that, as is usual with 'constructions of this character, the center sill is relatively deeper than -the side sill, but in this particular instance the top of the side sill is positioned slightly higher thanD the top of the center scribed will be-ilush with -the permanent cartion it will be understood that the doorfits sill, so that the grain door hereinafter defloor D when said' rain door E is in its lowered osition. en in-its raised posibetween the door posts F, which, together with the furring pieces G, form an outline for the ain door and constitute part of the side wa H.

A conventional' cross-bearer J extends `transversely of the carA at each door post,

between which cross-bearers and between the side sill and the adjacent center sill element is disposed the hopper K, particularly formg apart of the subject-matter of `this in- I vention.

i positioned substantially midwa Paralleling the center and side sills and between the saine and passing through t e sides of the hopper K, 1n a manner more articularly hereinafter described, and-over apping the cross-bearer is a longitudinally extendingintermediate Stringer L, Z-shape in cross section, the upper ang'e of which is nearly flush with the top of the side sill G.V Suitabl Ariveted to the :frontface of the sidesill an adjacent at the top. thereof is an inverted reinforced L-shaped threshold .plate M, which projects above the side sill a distance 1 ,equalto the, thickness of the door E, so that the top' of the door E,iwhen used as a art of the floor, will `be flush with 'the'top o the threshold plate, as shown in Fig. 3.

' The door E comprises a series of wooden ieces 8, 4fastened together and reinforced y an intermediate wooden hatten 9, bolted to-the under or rear side of the door, each longitudinal edge of the door being bound by a metallic L-shaped batteri 10 the upper -or inner batten 10 having a ller'lI disposed between one flange thereof and the door, so as to form with,the hatten u projecting flange or stop which, when this part of the door is resting 'on'the center sill-cover plate B, will Contact with the to prevent transverse movement o e4 door `in one direction, the corresponding door Oli.. the opposite transverse side preventing in ove 1 v.

A r 'Die As the center sill is 1positioned below the ment in the other direction.

plane of the car floor a distanceequal to the thickness of the retaining piece-f12,-i and as the side sill israised above the center`l` sill this distance, the effect will be that the door E when used as a art of -the flooring* will be in a substantie y horizontal plane' with one side ofthe door fitting i'n theangle between the threshold plate and the topo! the side sill, resting on the side sill when in the raised position shown in Fig. 4, or, the lowered position shown in Fig. 3. The inner side of the door is, of course, supported by the center sills and center sill cover plate, and is supported intermediate its width by the intermediate strin ger L. Each transverse ed .e of the door is bound by a Z-shaped outstan ing flanged plate 13 inset into the door, the projecting flange of which, as shown more particularly in cross section in Fig. 2, fits into apocket or groove inthe adjacent flooring D. 4 .A lVheri in its raised position, the door fits within the door opening and flanged plate 13 fits within a recess in the 'rear'o 'the fui-ring piece G, and is'locked in position b f' means o carried by the door post. In order to revent surreptitious removal of the door rom 'the car, the door is attached to the side sill by some flexible connection, such as the short length of chain P.

- Referring to the hopper K, a wiii be notedthat the body thereof is formed of a single sheet of4 metal bent into a three-sided ho 'per form, Wi-th an opening to the longitii nal side of the car below the door opening in the body portion of the car. The rear wall .14 of the hopper has its upper end bent horizontally) to form an attaching Harige 15,

positioned etween the `,top of 'the Iadjacent centerl sill element A, and the center sill -cover plate B, and fastened to these members by means of rivets 16. This inside wall of adjacent side plate 17 of the hopper K, are

short'transverse pieces 18 .intermitted so as to permit the intermediate Stringer L to pass therethrough. The outside end ofA the ieces 18 is inset in pockets 21 in the'fller' lock 22, carried between the flanges ofthe side sill C, the engl of the transverse piece lifting the gravity latch N (Figs. 5 andf' side sills and are bolted to f so pieces as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 7. The upthe upper portion of the' channel and conforming in configuration to the underside of the ,upper flange of the side sill.' 3.",

Each transverse side 17 of the hopper its upper end bentoutwardto forxnaflange' '23, which overlaps'the transverse ieces 18 and is bolted or otherwise fastene to these per partof. each side sheet 17, at its .outer edge,.is bent at rightangles to said sheet to form a Vflange 24. These Ilan es parallel the Eller blocks 22, which are. carried in the concavity on Athe inner side of the-side sills. From this construction it will be seen that the side sill 'itself forms rthe upper `front. portion of the hopper, and thehopper opening extends substantially'from the bottom of the side sill to adjacent the bottom of the inside or rear wall 14. This insideor rear wall has an upturned llange 25 formed integral with a reduced extension 46 of the' front flanges 24 adapted to support the door, as hereinafter described.

To brace the transverse sides 17 ofthe hopper above the door opening, to form a guide for the u per edge of the door and to form-a cli te or the lading in the vicinity of the chanwl of the side sill, there is po-,. sitioned within the hopper a downwardl and inwardly inclined hood plate27, eac longitudinal end of which has an uplturned flange 28 fastened to the side of the opper,

the' upper edge of the plate 27 being bent outwardly to fit beneath 'the lower flange of the side sill C, to which it is fastened by any suitable means, such as thenrivets adapted .to hold the door bracket', hereinafter described. 'f

In order to close the portion of the sides of the hopper which were cut away in order to insert the Z-shaped Stringer L, there is disposed between each of the angles of the Stringer a wooden filler 29 havlng an inclined face 30 (see Fig. 7) adapted to conform to the inclination of the side 17 of the hopper. The portion of the side cut away to accommodate the Stringer is bent to form an underlapping lip or flange 31 fastened to the underside of the transverse pieces 18, assisting to hold the two parts thereof in position.

The hopper door Q, is of a trapezoidal form aud preferably formed 0f a flanged plate, which door when in closedpositlon rests within the upturned flanges 25 and 46, and is-thcn positioned to the outer and un dcrside of the hood plate 27 and positioned a distance from the side sill and its attached parts suilicient to permit the door to slide in its own plane a distance at least sufficient to uncover the flanges 25 and 46, as shown in. dotted lino construction vin Fig. 3. 4

The door is hinged to the side sills preferably by means of a pair 0f slotted hinges 33.

lThe slot beingin a plane parallel to the plane of the door permits the sliding movement hereinbefore referred to. In o'rder toV act-nate the door both -to slide the same and to swing the same positively into its open position shown' in F 1g. 4,01*. in to the closed position shown inA Fig. 3, there is aliixed to the side sill and tol the underside o f theoutstandin flange of the hood plate 27,- a centrally disposed braokety34 carryin a pivot pin 35, to which is pivoted in turn t e upperr Tend of' a pair of depending, freelvswinging links 36, the lo'wer turn pivoted by means of thezpilni7,- which constitutes the fulcru'm for an actuating lever 38, onea'rm of which leverlconstitutes a bent handle 39 extending to the outside of end of which links are in.

the side sill in all the' positions of the door,

the other end of-whie lever is-Fpivoted by means of the lpin 40 to the-bracket 41, mounted centra ly upon the under orl outery face of the door Q.'

alsl

Noting Fi 4' it will be seen thatj actuating the hand e 39 will swing -the ldoor on its nhinge 33 into position to close 'the" lzopper outlet, the arrangement of the links being such 'that the door is permitted to swing into the hopper until this upper portion contacts'.

with the-hood pin 37 as a re handle 39 is raised 'f late-27. -Then with the pivot ativ'elyr stationary pivot, f the roml thedotand dash ell'eet of loweringthe door locked position.- The handle islthen, locked 1in ositionbysome suitable form of catch,

oc -apertures inthe handle from the bracket 34."1

By this construction it will bejseen that the Weight of the .lading carried by the door iis supported by the flange 25 of the hop er itself and the weight of the lading is a so transmitted through the links and parallel lever 38, sothat there is-but little tendency for the door to open due to the weight of any lading above it, and at the same time there is afforded a means for readily moving the4 door into unlocked 'osition so that the weight of the lading Wi l tend to open the same, but in case ofan ice seal the long handle will afford a materiahleverage to positively openfthe door.

What I claim is:

1. In a car, the combination with a center sill having a retaining strip thereon, of a side sill having a -threshold late extending above said side sill, a removable floor adapted to rest on said retaining strip and side sill, and having a portionadapted to engage the strip on the side opposite the side sill, one side of said door abutting said threshold plate.

2. The combination with a center sill, of

or hasp passing through" 'colacting and an "extension 47 rom its" d'otted n' position shown in thisffigue intO its .full line im l I lapped by one of said intermediate str'ingers.v

, 4. In a car, cross-bearers, transverse pieces in juxtaposition to and paralleling said bearers, and a hopper having outturnedr ianges supported b said pieces.

5. In a car, crosscarers, transverse ieces Ain juxtaposition thereto, center sill an side sill,`a hopper having outturned flanges overlapping said. center sill and transverse ment-restraining position pieces, and means attaching said hopper to said side sill.

6. In 'a grain car, a hopper bottom and a car side having a door opening in juxtaposition to the to of said hopper bottom, anim grain door adapted t6 be locked in movey substantially within the door opening to partly close said side door o ening, or to cover' said hopper bottom, an to be maintained lin such latter position by space restrictions.

7. In a car having a side door opening, a vsidesill, a threshold plate projecting above resting on t said-sill across said door opening, and a door adapted when in a closing position to abut avertical'wall of. said plate, and'when in position as part -of the car Hoor to have its upper face Hush with the top of said Plate. I*

8. A car having? transversely disposed side door openings, threshold plates, side sills positioned 'below the upper surface thereof,

center sills, a hopper disposed between each side sill and'the center sill, appair of door elements, one for each door opening, each adapted in one position to rest upon one of said side sills and against a vertical wall of a threshold plate to partially'elose one of saidV door openings, and when 1n position tion of the car i'oor, and adapted-to restrain each other from movement transversely' of- 9. A car having transversely disposed 'side said sills.

door openin s`, a hopper' disposed between each side sil and the center sill, a pair of door elements,one for each door opening and each adapted in one position to be supported upon a side sill to close oneof said door openings, and when in position resting on the sills colactingto form a `portion of hopper-supporting elements and` to afford additional support for saiddoor elements.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the presence of two-witnesses.

e sills co-acting to form a por the-car oo'ring covering said hoppers, and

intermediate `stringereadapted to sustain JOHN W. V 

